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DENVER OUTLAWS MVP
CANDIDATE Jeremy Sieverts The Outlaws are young
at attack and traded away its own MVP from 2012. Sieverts headlines the offense after consecutive 40-point seasons.
NEW
ARRIVALS Cam Flint, Matt Gibson,
John Grant Jr., Jeremy Noble, Michael Simon Grant needs to replace Mundorf's production.
ENEMY LINES “You never look at their
roster and seem to be frightened, but then they have the best record in the league… Do they put too much pressure on themselves in the playoffs? … Interesting to see if and how the coaching change affects their style of play.”
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The Outlaws were MLL’s first perfect team in the regular season last year. But once again, all the regular-season success did not translate into shaking the ghosts of playoffs past, as top-seeded Denver fell in the semifinals to Charlotte, and failed to win its first championship in eight seasons. “We don’t want to lose sight of the fact that we accomplished an awful lot in 2013,” said Outlaws coach B.J. O’Hara, an assistant under Jim Stagnitta last year. “But I’d be lying if I said we don’t feel a little unfulfilled.” Denver did not stand pat with its roster. The biggest change was trading 2012 MLL MVP Brendan Mundorf, an Outlaw since the team’s inception in 2006. “It was as tough a decision as I ever made,” Denver general manager Tony Seaman said. “Brendan has been banged up a little bit. The travel is tough. With John Grant living in Denver it just worked out that way.” As questionable as it may have seemed for the Outlaws to move Mundorf, Denver does have a history of making trades that at first seem lopsided, but turn out to benefit the team long-term. Before the 2012 season, Denver traded Max Seibald and Drew Westervelt but still had the best record in the league. Last year they traded big-time scorer Mark Matthews. “It’s still a team game. It’s not an individual game,” Seaman said. “There’s only one ball out there so you have to find guys that can fill roles.”
The team is hoping the arrival of John Grant Jr. and his championship pedigree can finally help propel the team to its first championship.
“His game hasn’t dropped a bit,” O’Hara said. “We’re going to look to him for some leadership and offensive firepower.”
— P.S.
MVP CANDIDATE Paul Rabil
Rabil was hampered by injuries — he had surgery for torn ab and adductor muscles after the season — but still had 54 points. “He’s the most gifted lacrosse player on the planet,” Tucker said.
NEW ARRIVALS Owen Blye, Rob Emery, Diogo Godoi, Scott McWilliams, Eric Martin, Brodie Merrill After giving up the most goals in the MLL last season, improving the defense was a must. Merrill was the big splash, but Godoi and McWilliams give Boston a physical presence at close defense it has missed since trading Jack Reid in 2013.
ENEMY LINES “They put their chips all in on this year. If they don’t do it, it’s going to take a couple years to get them fixed… Boston is still Paul Rabil’s team. Paul likes it that way. He has a lot to say about the decisions about players.”
A Publication of US Lacrosse 3
Three seasons ago, the Boston Cannons won the MLL championship, powered by a core made up of known commodities Paul Rabil, Ryan Boyle, Jordan Burke, Chris Eck, Kevin Buchanan, Mitch Belisle, Kyle Sweeney and Matt Poskay. Last season, the Cannons finished with just five wins despite
BOSTON CANNONS
featuring the same players. With that veteran group yet another year older, is the window for another championship closed? “The time is now,” Buchanan said. With so much experience on the roster, and
the addition of six-time MLL Defensive Player of the Year Brodie Merrill, coach John Tucker is optimistic this group will turn things around. “Veteran guys are necessary,” Tucker said. “Guys
like John Grant Jr. were necessary to help Chesapeake win last year. Coming off a difficult season like last year, you’ll see the best those guys have to give.” Third-year pro Colin Briggs, 2013 rookies Will Manny and Scott
Ratliff and incoming rookies Scott McWilliams and Rob Emery will need to contribute on the field and push the rest of the roster in training camp. Boston’s roster has been notorious for being tough for rookies
to crack, but there may be more chances than normal with the FIL World Championship this summer. Four Americans — Rabil, Buchanan, Eck and Belisle — and Merrill are slated to compete during two weeks in July.
— P .S.
CHARLOTTE HOUNDS
The Hounds have excited new MLL fans with their potential since the team debuted in 2012. In year two, they took a big step forward. Charlotte reached the playoffs for the first time and knocked off the undefeated Outlaws in the semifinals before falling to the Bayhawks in the championship game.
While the Hounds got career-best years from attackmen Matt Danowski and Ryan Young and goalie Adam Ghitelman, the team’s rookies provided the biggest boost. Seven first-year players — including offensive midfielders Mike Sawyer and Jake Tripucka, short-stick defensive midfielder Josh Hawkins and long-stick midfielder Mason Poli — played large roles in Charlotte’s playoff push.
A big key for the Hounds this season is to make sure at least most of those players don’t experience the so-called sophomore slump. “We can build on last year and not really miss a beat,” Sawyer said.
The team will get another youthful jolt this season thanks to the anticipated arrival of 11 rookies from the 2014 draft, seven of which came in the first three rounds. Maryland defenseman
Michael Ehrhardt was the team’s top pick. “It’s [important] getting those guys to feel comfortable and giving them any info they need in terms of the travel and things to make their lives easier so they’re not concerned with them come the weekend,” Ghitelman said. “They can all play. It’s getting them acclimated to all the other stuff.”
MVP CANDIDATE Matt Danowski
The veteran stepped up as the leader of the young Hounds and set career highs in goals (33) and points (49). “He played his best when we needed him the most,” coach Mike Cerino said. “You could’ve called Matt MVP last year. Where are the Hounds without him?”
NEW ARRIVALS Davis Butts, Mike Chanenchuk, Joe Cummings, Michael Ehrhardt, Brendan Fowler, Pat Laconi
Ehrhardt provides a physical presence on defense Charlotte hoped it would have in Tucker Durkin last season before trading him to Hamilton.
ENEMY LINES
“Defensively they’re getting better… They’re explosive if they’re playing well offensively… I’m going to be curious to see how Poillon leaving affects Sawyer. Now he’s going to get a pole. I think his production outside of extra- man is going to be lower now that Peet’s not protecting him.”
May 2014 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 67
— P.S.
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